Seafood & Sounds returns to Poole on 12 and 13 September 2026, bringing two days of live music, fresh seafood, family entertainment and maritime heritage to Poole Quay, the Old Town and town centre. Expect performances across multiple stages, seafood stalls, an opening parade, artisan markets, children’s activities, heritage shows and interactive trails, making it one of Poole’s biggest free events of the September calendar.
5th September 2026
Poole’s celebration of seafood, music and maritime heritage is returning this September - and the full 2026 programme promises to bring live entertainment, local flavours and family activities to locations across the town.
Seafood & Sounds will take place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, spreading from Poole Quay and the historic Old Town through the High Street to Old Orchard and Falkland Square.
There will be live music across nine performance areas, freshly prepared seafood beside the water, an opening parade, artisan stalls, heritage performances, children’s entertainment and interactive trails connecting the different parts of the festival.
The main festival will officially get underway at 11am on Saturday with a colourful opening parade.
Starting outside Slug & Lettuce, the procession will travel through the Old Town before arriving on Poole Quay, bringing together live entertainment and a cast of familiar princesses and superheroes.
Visitors will be able to meet characters including Elsa, Moana, Rapunzel, Captain America, Wonder Woman and Spider-Man on the Quay following the parade.
The music actually begins a little earlier, with a festival opening event from Bashaviolin at St TrOpez Club at 7.30pm on Friday 11 September.
Music will be heard throughout the town, with performances taking place outside local businesses, beside the harbour and inside some of Poole’s best-known venues.
The main performance locations include the Fish Shambles, the Sea Music Sculpture, St James’ Church, Falkland Square and the areas outside Poole Arms, Custom House, The Brewhouse and PI opposite Truly Scrumptious.
Saturday’s programme will feature local performers and groups including Helena Mace, Susie Kimber, David Mein, Gary Roberts, Emma Hardy, Soul Tides, Frayed Strings, The Real Deal, Ed Fox, State of Undress and Poole Me Hearties.
Choirs will also be a big part of the weekend, with appearances from Resonate Choir, The Quayside Choir, Choir Engine, Citrus Singers and BitterSweet Harmony.
As the daytime programme draws to a close, Kaboodle will perform outside Custom House at 7.30pm, while several pubs and venues will continue the entertainment into Saturday evening.
The music continues from 11am on Sunday, with performers appearing at different points across the Quay, Old Town and town centre.
Sunday’s line-up includes Route 66, Archie Ray, Rachel More, Phil Dewhurst, Paul Walker, Carley Varley, Sara Harris, Steve Faulkner, Nory-J and The Rev.
Captain Crusty & The Pickled Herrings will bring a suitably nautical flavour to performances outside Poole Arms, The Brewhouse and in Falkland Square, while Relight My Choir, Rock Choir, Sing & Grin Choir and Balance Choir will add more community voices to the programme.
Individual venues will host additional performances throughout the weekend, including Hotel du Vin, Nusara Thai, The Angel, The Foundry Arms, The Guildhall Tavern and St TrOpez Lounge.
Some evening performances taking place inside established entertainment venues, including Lighthouse Poole, are separate ticketed events, so visitors should check with the venue before attending.
Food is naturally at the heart of Seafood & Sounds.
Dedicated stalls along Poole Quay will serve seafood dishes beside the water, with everything from fresh local fish and shellfish to fishcakes, sushi and paella expected across the weekend.
Confirmed traders include Greenslade Fish, Fab Catch and 1812 Oishii Panasian, while participating hospitality businesses around the town will add their own seafood dishes and festival specials.
Live food demonstrations will also take place inside the Dolphin Centre, offering ideas, inspiration and expert advice for anyone who enjoys cooking seafood at home.
Rather than placing every trader in one central area, the festival’s artisan market will be spread across Poole.
Stalls will appear in Sarum Street, Paradise Street, Nusara Courtyard, St James’ Church, Old Orchard and Falkland Square, as well as beside venues around the Quay.
The expanded layout has been designed to encourage visitors to explore more of Poole, discover its independent businesses and find something different around each corner.
Local producers, makers and community organisations will be taking part, with goods ranging from jewellery, pottery and sustainable gifts to Dorset produce, seaweed-infused spirits and handmade candles.
Seafood & Sounds has planned plenty to keep younger visitors entertained, with free family activities appearing throughout the festival area.
Children will be able to decorate cookies in the hidden garden and terrace at Hotel du Vin, enjoy creative activities and refreshments at St James’ Church, and make something to take home at the arts and crafts tent outside Ginali’s.
Face painting will be available during the day, while Falkland Square will host drop-in circus skills between 11am and 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday.
A carousel, trampolines and games will also be located on Poole Quay.
Roaming children’s entertainment is planned from 11.30am until 4pm on Saturday and from 11am until 4pm on Sunday. If the weather turns wet, the children’s activities will move inside The Quay Pub.
On Sunday, another character meet-and-greet will take place outside Truly Scrumptious from midday until 1pm, with Ariel, Belle, Tiana, Captain America, Wonder Woman and Spider-Man expected to appear.
Families can explore the Old Town by following the free Seafood & Sounds Oyster Trail.
Decorated oyster shells will be hidden in the windows of participating businesses across the Old Town, Thames Street, Market Street and the Quay. Each shell carries a letter, which can be collected to reveal a secret phrase.
Trail maps will be available from Truly Scrumptious, festival volunteers and the event’s control centre beside the Sea Music Sculpture.
Additional themed walking routes, including the Cockle Trail, will help connect the festival’s different areas, while Walk & Talks with Hattie will offer another way to discover Poole on Sunday.
Scaplen’s Community Players will celebrate the town’s seafaring history with performances inside the Upper Hall at Scaplen’s Court.
Taking place at 1pm and 3pm on both Saturday and Sunday, the programme will combine traditional sea shanties with historical storytelling and a performance of Mayhem at the Inn.
Visitors will hear the imagined experiences of Robert, recounting his first voyage to Newfoundland in 1621, and Jane, sharing stories of growing up and living in Poole in 1632.
The performances offer an entertaining glimpse into the people and journeys that helped shape the town’s maritime identity.
On Sunday, The Absolute Music Trust will host two free, hands-on music workshops at St James’ Church.
Running from 1pm until 2pm and again from 3pm until 4pm, the sessions will give visitors of all ages and abilities an opportunity to try different instruments with expert guidance.
No experience is needed and there is no need to book - visitors can simply drop in and join the session.
What makes Seafood & Sounds different is the way it uses the town itself as the festival setting.
The performances, stalls and activities are not contained within one site. They flow between the cobbled streets of the Old Town, local pubs and restaurants, historic buildings, the High Street and Poole’s waterfront.
Visitors can arrive for the seafood, follow the sound of a live performance, discover a local maker and then find themselves exploring a part of Poole they may not have visited before.
Created by local business owners, the event has grown into a celebration not only of Poole’s coastal heritage, but also of the independent businesses, performers and community groups that give the town its character.
Seafood & Sounds takes place across Poole Quay, the Old Town and town centre on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026.
The daytime festival programme runs from approximately 11am, with much of the entertainment free to attend. Some performances hosted by individual venues may require separate tickets or reservations.
With seafood beside the harbour, music around almost every corner and plenty for families to discover, Seafood & Sounds looks set to turn Poole into one lively, town-wide festival for the weekend.
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